ND Lt. Gov. Wrigley marks completion of wind energy farm

BISMARCK — North Dakota Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley joined utility company executives on Thursday at the dedication of a new wind energy project center.

With the completion of the Bison Wind Energy Center, North Dakota's wind energy farms have the capacity to generate about 1,600 megawatts of electricity, Wrigley said.

“That's good news for North Dakota and the entire nation,” he added.

Since 2010, Minnesota Power has installed 101 wind turbines throughout south-central North Dakota to produce renewable electricity.

Since the first wind turbines were completed at Bison Wind Energy Center, a total of 750,000 megawatt-hours of electricity has been produced. This is enough to power 85,000 homes for a year. The electricity generated is delivered to Minnesota via a transmission line.

Minnesota Power has invested about $500 million in to the Bison Wind Energy Center.

North Dakota offers property tax reductions to qualified wind power companies that generate electricity for public us.

A recent study by the North Dakota State University Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department shows that wind and other renewable energy sources generation more than $1.2 billion in economic activity in North Dakota annually.

Others in attendance at the dedication included Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and North Dakota Public Service commissioners Brian Kalk and Randy Christmann.